Board Bags Now Fly For Free

Last month California made surfing the state's official sport. An important step in the recognition of the sport, culture and lifestyle that's helped create the Golden State's image over the past half century, the designation would also prove to have an unexpected consequence.

United Airlines has announced that it is doing away with all surfboard baggage fees for flights to or from California.

"As California's global airline, we knew what we had to do when surfing was named the state sport: waive the service fees for surfboards, on all flights, to or from California," read a tweet posted from United's account.

They even hashtagged the word "stoked."

Previously, board fees on United ranged anywhere from $150 to $200 per flight depending on the size of the board bag, and sometimes, randomly, how many boards were in the bag. That has all changed. Surfboards will now enjoy the same privileges as other oversized sporting equipment like golf clubs and skis.

In recent years a number of international CT athletes have based themselves out of California largely because it's an easier place to travel from when they're traversing the world in search of surf.

Caio Ibelli lives with his girlfriend, Alessa Quizon, just up Highway 1 in Dana Point. Both cities are less than two hours from Los Angeles International Airport and having the option to fly United with their boards for free could potentially save them thousands of dollars over the course of the season.